Stereotype-plate cutter.



P. J. MATYCH.

STEREOTYPE PLATE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED No.27, 1909. RENEWED DEC. 21, 1911.

1,016,347, Patented F eb.6.1912.

Witnesses: V lnven tor:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J'. MATYCI-I, 0F MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

STEREOTYPE-PLATE CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Application filed December 27, 1909, Serial No. 535,174. RenewedDecember 21, 1911. Serial No. 667,211.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. MATYGI-I, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStereotype-Plate Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stereotype-plate cutters, the object of theinvention being to provide a simple and effective device of this typewhich can make a clean out be tween the lines of the plate and withoutwaste.

The implement possesses other features of advantage which with theforegoing will be set forth at length in the following description whereI disclose that form of embodiment of the invention which I haveselected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming partof the pres entspecification. I do not restrict myself to the exactshowing made by said drawings and description for certain variations maybe adopted within the scope of my claims succeeding said description.

Referring to said drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of astereotype-plate cutter involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view of the same with a portion of the upper knife-blockremoved, and, Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective and on an enlargedscale of the anvil.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The different parts of the device may be mounted in any desirable mannerand as a suitable means for this purpose I have shown a standard orframe 2 provided with a widened or enlarged base or foot 3 perforated asrepresented for the passage of screws or other suitable fastening meansby which the device can be attached to a suitable foundation.

The implement comprises two knives or cutters and these score the plateon opposite faces thereof, the scores being superposed and the cuttingedges of these knives or cutters are preferably quite acute or sharp sothat the knives can so out between two adjacent lines as not to mar orinjure either; then also there is no waste. The knives or cutters may bemounted in any desirable manner. In the present case the upper knife 4is connected with a carrier 5 which as shown consists of a substantiallyrectangular block supported for vertical sliding movement by the upperportion of the standard 2, the latter having a slot or aperture 6 toreceive said carrier or block. Said carrier or block 5 is shown equippedwith a rearward projection 7 at its upper rear corner and through thesame is tapped a screw 8 constituting a suitable adjustable stop andwhich is cooperative with the bottom of the branch or offset portion 9of the slot 6 for the purpose of limiting the downward movement of theblock or carrier 5. This screw as will be clear may be manipulated toregulate the amount of downward movement of the block or carrier 5. Ishould state that it is not my purpose to have the coacting knives orcutters cut entirely through the stereotype but only partiallytherethrough, the plate being afterward broken along the scored linesand by providing adjustable means as set forth I can adapt the device toplates which vary in thickness. In the cases of certain plates I shouldprefer to make deeper cuts thereinto than with others and vice versa,and by providing the screw 8 this is possible.

As a means for forcing down the carrier or block 5 and therefore theupper cutter 4 I have shown a cam-lever 10 which is pivoted near its camend between the sides of the upper portion of the standard 2 and whensaid lever is swung down the cam portion thereof forces down the block 5until the screw 8 strikes the bottom of the aperture 9. To elevate saidblock 5 a spring is provided and the coiled spring 11 answerssatisfactorily this purpose the same encircling the screw or pin 8 andbearing against the projection 7 and the bottom of the aperture 9. Whenthe block 5 is thrust down as set forth this spring is compressed sothat it becomes effective when pressure on the lever 10 is removed, topromptly elevate the block or carrier 5. The length of the knife 4equals substantially the width of the carrier 5 and that of the slot 6,said knife being held to the block 5 by a clampingmember 12 constitutinga part of said block the latter being held in place in the slot 6 by acover-plate 13 attached by screws or otherwise to the standard 2.

The lower knife or cutter is designated by Y 14 and in practice and asillustrated it is disposed exactly opposite the upper knife or cutter 4.While the cutting edge of the latter is straight and continuous orunbroken this is not the case with the cutting edge of the lower knifeor blade, said last mentioned Cutting edge being interrupted orrecessed. In the present case the cutting edge of the said lower knifeor blade 14 has a rabbet 15 at one end and a slot 16 near the oppositeend the said rabbet or cutaway portion 15 and slot 16 being intended toreceive the ribs or fins on the underside of the stereotype plate 17 asshown in Fig. 3. The bottom portion of this rabbet 15 and slot 16are'sharpened to present straight cutting portions in parallelism withthe cutting edge of the upper knife or cutter 4 so that when pressure isapplied to the plate in a down ward direction the ribs or fins of theplate will be also scored. 1 V

The lower knife or blade 14 is connected with an anvil 18 which asrepresented consists of two complemental or duplicate members fastenedsuitably to the upper side of the base of the standard 2, for instanceby means of screws and the lower knife or blade is firmly clampedbetween the sections of said anvil 18. The anvil 18 has in its upperface a rabbet 19 which registers substantially with the rabbet 15 insaid lower blade and it also has a groove 20 which practically registerswith the slot 16 in said blade 14. The cutting portions of said rabbet15 and slot 16, however, extend above the bottoms of the rabbet 19 andgroove 20, respectively, a distance equaling the amount of maximum cutto be made by the knife 14 so that I insure that the ribs or fins of theplate will be cut the requisite amount. It will be also understood thatthe major portion of the cutting edge of the knife or blade also extendsa like distance above the upper surface of the anvil 18.

Normally the carrier or block 5 is up as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. hen itis desired to cut a stereotype-plate the latter with its fins or ribsdown is placed over the anvil 18 with said ribs in the several describedrabbets or slots, the lower face of the plate including the ribs restingon the cutting portion of the knife or cutter 14. 'The upper knife 4 isthen depressed in the manner already set forth until the stop, 8 strikesthe bottom of the slot 9, at which point the lever 10 is released and isreturned to its original position by the power of the spring 11. Theplate is then removed and it will be seen that its opposite faces havescore lines, which produces a weakened portion and by which the platecan be easily broken and in a thoroughly clean and even manner.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for What I claim is:

1. A stereotype plate cutter comprising a pair of scoring knives, thescoring edges of which are opposite eachother, one of said knives havingits scoring edge interrupted and the scoring edge of the other beingstraight one of said knives being movably mounted.

2. A stereotype plate cutter comprising a pair of scoring knives, thescoring edges of which are opposite each other, one of said kniveshaving its scoring edge interru )ted the scoring edge of the other beingstraight and one of said knives being movably mounted combined withmeans for positively preventing the scoring edge of the movable knifecoming into contact with the scoring edge of the companion knife.

3. A stereotype plate cutter comprising eomplemental scoring knives, thescoring edges of which are opposite each other, one of the knives havingan interrupted portion having a cutting part the scoring edge of theother knife being straight.

4. A stereotype plate cutter comprising a stereotype plate supportinganvil, and a scoring knife in cooperative relation with said anvilrecessed to receive the ribs of the plate on said anvil, a secondscoring knife, the scoring edge of which is opposite the scoring edge ofthe first mentioned knife,

the bottoms of the recesses of the latter having rib scoring portions inparallelism with the scoring edge of the second knife, and means foroperating said second knife.

5. A stereotype-plate cutter comprising an anvil in sections, a knifeclamped between the sections of said anvil, the anvil and knife havingregistering recesses to receive the ribs of a stereotype plate and asecond knife, the cutting edge of which is opposite the cutting edge ofthe other knife, the bottoms of the recesses of the first knife havingstraight cutting portions in parallelism with the cutting edge of thesecond knife.

6. A stereotype-plate cutter having 'a stereotype plate supporting anvilrecessed to.

- FREDERICK J. MATYCH.

Vitnesses JOHN GILLIGAN,

JOHN FITZGERALD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. G.

